Royal Caribbean Blog

In March 2023, I spent a week on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas. I had a great family spring break vacation, and I know I greatly benefitted from some pre-cruise planning.

After years of cruising, it's become apparent to me how important just a little planning ahead of time can do to improve your vacation experience.

While you could simply show up to the cruise ship and have a good time without any forethought, planning out a few aspects of your vacation adds a lot to the experience and avoids some common cruise pitfalls.

On a ship as big as Wonder of the Seas, you're also competing in a way with your fellow guests for opportunities and things to do onboard. From dining, to entertainment, to waiting, there's a limit on how much you can do onboard and I firmly believe your time on a cruise ship can be optimized.

In retrospect, here are five super simple things I did before my cruise began to eliminate hassles before they could ever occur.

1. I did everything in the pre-cruise check-in

When you step foot into the cruise terminal, your cruise vacation begins and ideally, your time in the terminal is as quick as possible so you can get onto the ship.

Royal Caribbean has made it super simple to breeze through the check-in process by making the entire process digital via the Royal Caribbean app.

First and foremost, at 45 days before my cruise, I grabbed an early check-in time to ensure we could likely get onboard first. It's a good idea to set a calendar reminder to get a time right away, because a lot of people will be vying for those early times.

Next, complete every step of the check-in process before the cruise.  

1. Scan your passport
2. Take a selfie photo
3. Add your emergency contact info
4. Add a credit card

If you don't do these things at home, you're going to do it at the terminal with the agent.  It feels like the agents often struggle with their tablets working correctly, and it just wastes time.

Because we did everything at home, every terminal representative we encountered merely had to look over our paperwork, verify it was all there, and sent us on our way.

Your vacation time is precious, so don't waste it in the cruise terminal.

2. Booked my shows early

If you're sailing on an Oasis or Quantum Class ship, you can pre-book shows and you really need to do this as soon as it becomes available.

While you can probably still get into the shows without a reservation, having a reservation really makes the entire experience so much simpler.

At around 30 days before your cruise, the shows will become available to book and it's complimentary to book shows.

It's quite clear enough people have gotten the memo about booking shows that times go quickly, so you'll want to book it right away. Put a calendar reminder for this time too.

By having the show reservations, there was no concern once onboard if we would be able to see a particular show time or having to waste time standing in a standby line.

3. I took a ride share to the port instead of parking

This tip was not part of my original plan, but I was really glad to have taken a Lyft ride to the port instead of driving myself.

The day before the cruise, we discovered a nail in the tire of our family car and there wasn't enough time to get it patched before we left the next morning for the cruise.  As a result, I decided to use Lyft instead.

We live about an hour from Port Canaveral, so driving to the port so we've almost always driven ourselves in the past.

The reason why I'm including getting a ride to the port on this list is because the parking situation in Port Canaveral (and other Florida ports) has become much more of a problem than in the past.  In short, the parking lots at the port seem to be fuller than ever before.

Wonder of the Seas departs from Terminal 1, and the main garage was already quite busy when we got there. There are more ships and bigger ships sailing than in the past, and the overflow lots are now the norm instead of the exception.

By taking Lyft, we pulled right up to the terminal, dropped our luggage with the porters and we walked right into the terminal.  It was a breath of fresh air compared to having to wait in the traffic to get back into the terminal and find a spot.

If this sounds like a "first world problem", it definitely is, but we saw the backup to get into Terminal 1 only get worse as the day wore on. 

4. I did traditional dining instead of My Time Dining

While 5pm is earlier than I would like to have dinner, the ease of which it is to have a fixed table and time seems to greatly outweigh the downsides to My Time Dining.

My Time Dining is great since you can eat at different times during your cruise. This is super helpful when you have a later day in port, but there's also more waiting and it always seems the people waiting to get in for My Time Dining look annoyed.

To be fair, our family has always done traditional dining when we eat in the Main Dining Room, but since this article is about how to be stress-free, there's no doubt having a set time every day with no waiting is the definition of that.

When it was our dinner time, we walked right into the Main Dining Room and sat at our table. We had menus in hand and a drink order being taken shortly thereafter.

I'm not advocating no one should do My Time Dining, rather, I think traditional is just easier.

Read more: My Time Dining versus Traditional Dining

5. Pre-booked my shore excursions

It feels like waiting to figure out your plans on shore the day you get to the port is becoming a new mistake.

Royal Caribbean's shore excursions seem to be selling out much faster than in years past, and if you try winging it with a vendor in port, there's just too much ambiguity as to what the experience could end up being.

The issue is exacerbated in Perfect Day at CocoCay because Royal Caribbean's marketing machine has been so effective in getting the word out. The result is everything other than a floating mat is sold out months before the cruise begins.

Prior to the cruise, we made reservations for shore excursions in St. Thomas and St. Kitts and we not only loved both of our tours, but I was glad to not have to deal with trying to navigate a last-minute tour decision.

Whether you book a tour through Royal Caribbean or on your own, it's a good idea to plan it out well before the cruise begins and to have a plan in place so that you can be assured you'll it's all waiting for you when you arrive.

More information:

• Top 10 cruise ship shore excursion mistakes to avoid
• 5 quick and easy tips for finding a great shore excursion on your own
• When do shore excursions become available to book for my Royal Caribbean cruise?

6. I took naps

This is such a small thing, but taking a nap really makes your day seem more care-free.

We had three sea days on this sailing, and I found myself taking a nap every day of them right after lunch.  While there is indeed so much to see and do on Wonder of the Seas, I relished a refreshing doze in my cabin.

It certainly helped with any FOMO that I had been on Wonder of the Seas a few times already, but if your goal is have an easy going time of things, I really think a good nap helps a lot.

Plus, taking a nap meant I had more energy for evening activities. Especially late-night fun in the casino or bars around the ship.

Sometimes it's the little things that can put yourself at ease during your trip.

I think Royal Caribbean has arguably one of the best loyalty programs in the cruising industry.

The Crown & Anchor Society is the cruise line's program that rewards cruisers for showing loyalty to Royal Caribbean. After just one cruise, you can start earning points towards different tiers of status with the cruise line. 

As someone who has cruised almost exclusively with Royal Caribbean for my entire life, I am currently a Diamond Plus member of the Crown and Anchor Society. Reaching this status a few years ago, the program’s lucrative benefits are a huge selling point when I look to book future cruises. 

Notably, the complimentary daily drink vouchers are a huge perk of having Diamond Plus status. I receive five daily drink vouchers each day of my cruise; for my husband and I, this saves us hundreds to thousands of dollars on each cruise. 

We also enjoy discounted internet, free laundry service, a complimentary photo, BOGO specialty dining and more as Diamond Plus members.

Although I love cruising with Royal Caribbean, I was been eager to try sailing on sister-brand Celebrity Cruises for quite some time; however, I wasn’t sure if the onboard experience would feel lackluster without some of the lucrative benefits that I’m used to receiving on Royal Caribbean. 

Because Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises are owned by the same parent company, the two cruise lines actually have a status reciprocity program. Celebrity’s Loyalty Match program allows cruisers to receive comparable benefits from Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor Program when sailing on Celebrity cruise ships. 

On my recent 4-night spring break sailing, I used my Royal Caribbean loyalty perks onboard Celebrity Silhouette for the first time - and it saved me a lot of money. This was my first cruise with Celebrity, so I didn't know what to expect. 

Here’s how the programs compared and how much money the benefits saved me. 

To start, Elite status is the highest tier of Celebrity's loyalty program, Captain’s Club, that you can receive through the reciprocity program. 

Royal Caribbean’s three highest tiers of loyalty - Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle - can only receive Elite member status on Celebrity Cruises through the reciprocity program. To reach Elite Plus or Zenith status, you must earn points by sailing on Celebrity’s cruise ships and earning the status. 

Similarly, Captain’s Club highest members - Elite Plus and Zenith - can only receive Diamond status when sailing on Royal Caribbean cruises.

It's important to note that Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises each have their own points structure. To reach the next tier with Celebrity, I would need to earn at least 750 Captain’s Club points on my own; however, I’d continue to receive Elite-level benefits through reciprocity until then. 

Below is a breakdown of how Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor status translates to Captain’s Club status with the reciprocity status match program. 

Technically, I boarded Celebrity Silhouette as an Elite member with 0 Captain’s Club points, as I had not sailed on a Celebrity Cruise before.

When booking this cruise, I wanted to make sure I received the benefits I was entitled to. Enrollment in Celebrity’s loyalty program, Captain’s Club, was seamless. 

Anyone who is in enrolled in either Royal Caribbean’s or Celebrity’s loyalty programs will automatically receive benefits while sailing on either cruise line. 

Celebrity’s website states that anyone in Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor program that is not enrolled in Celebrity’s Captain’s Club program should confirm enrollment before booking their cruise. I decided to call the Loyalty Service Desk to make sure I was enrolled in Captain’s Club before booking my first Celebrity cruise. 

Calling Celebrity Cruises was easy and they quickly confirmed my enrollment in the program. The agent also provided me with my Captain’s Club number at this time. Investigating further, I actually found the Captain’s Club number on Royal Caribbean’s website under Profile -> My Loyalty. I believe this is automatically populated, but I would suggest confirming your Captain’s Club number before booking your cruise. 

I provided the Captain’s Club numbers for both me and my sister when booking the Celebrity Cruise through our MEI travel agent. I was able to login to Celebrity’s travel portal and it showed my Elite status in the profile already. 

Once we boarded Celebrity Silhouette for our weekend cruise, we found an info sheet in the cabin with information about our Captain’s Club Elite membership benefits. 

Although the benefits are not necessarily one to one, we were pretty pleased with the Elite benefits that were listed on the sheet. It was a relief to see the Elite status on my SeaPass card and knowing that my benefits transferred correctly. 

Most importantly, I was happy to see on the benefit list that we would still receive complimentary drinks through Celebrity’s happy hour for Captain’s Club members! In addition, we were invited to join Captain’s Club Coffee Lounge everyday from 8am to 10am in Tuscan Restaurant. This was described as a coffeehouse style breakfast with snacks and pastries. 

The info sheet also stated that there would be a Captain’s Club Celebration on the final night of the cruise. This invitation said we could join the exclusive event for live music, drinks and special appearances from the Captain and Senior Officers.

Finally, we were invited to a Private Departure Lounge during disembarkation from 7:30am - 9am in Tuscan Restaurant. 

One of the first things I always do when I board a cruise ship is purchase internet for the entire voyage with my loyalty discount. 

Although disconnecting on a cruise is so relaxing, I simply need to have internet for my remote jobs. The flexibility of being able to work anywhere is incredible, but I do need to have high-speed internet purchased when I sail on a cruise to ensure I keep up with work when necessary. 

I am still holding out hope for the day that Internet is free on cruises, especially considering I can get free high-speed internet at almost anywhere these days!

On Royal Caribbean, as a Diamond Plus member, I receive two free days of Internet onboard or a $50 discount for the entire voyage. For this reason, I usually wait to purchase my Wi-Fi until I am onboard shorter cruises to ensure I get my discount, unless I can get a better price in the Cruise Planner beforehand. 

For a 4-night cruise, it’s usually around $51.98 for me to have high-speed internet on Royal Caribbean, as it’s priced at $25.99 per day. 

Unlike Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises provides a percentage discount on Wi-Fi packages; sadly, high-speed internet is more expensive at $35 each day. As Elite members, we received a 30% discount on our Internet package, which I purchased on the first day. 

Unfortunately, high-speed Internet on Celebrity was almost double what it would cost on a 4-night Royal Caribbean cruise! I received a $42 discount, but it was still nearly $100 for the duration of the 4-night voyage. 

Shockingly, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises have the exact same Wi-Fi coverage through satellite-provider Starlink. 

In this sense, the price discrepancy between the two cruise lines is quite confusing for me. I was paying nearly double for the exact same provider coverage.

On a longer voyage, the 30% discount would be more sizable (in dollars) than the static $51.98 discount received on Royal Caribbean; however, the increased cost of $10 more each day on Celebrity will likely wash out any major savings when comparing the two. 

For example, a recent 12-night cruise on Royal Caribbean cost me $259.90 for the high-speed service with a savings of $51.98. On Celebrity Cruises, the same Internet would cost me $294 with a savings of $126. Although the savings is more, the overall cost of Internet is still higher. 

I’ve actually wished that Royal Caribbean would provide a bigger discount on longer cruises for top-tier loyalty members. When I take a 12-night cruise, it would be great to receive a 30%-50% discount on internet service, although any discount is still awesome. 

Technically, you have the potential to save a lot more money with Celebrity’s Captain’s Club internet discounts, but the increased cost of coverage needs to be taken into consideration. The internet coverage was consistent with what I’ve experienced on Royal Caribbean cruises, which is expected since the provider is the same. 

Another great perk on our Celebrity cruise that saved us a lot of money was the nightly happy hour with complimentary cocktails. 

Paying for cocktails and alcohol on a cruise can get very expensive. Not to mention, drink packages can nearly double the cost of your cruise and you have to drink around 5 cocktails each day to breakeven. 

Celebrity does not offer the easy-to-use drink vouchers like Royal Caribbean for loyalty perks. Instead, the cruise line has a nightly happy hour that serves complimentary drinks from 5pm-7pm.

This is very reminiscent of Royal Caribbean’s old happy hour in the Diamond and Concierge lounge, which was phased out after the pandemic and replaced with daily drink vouchers.

The happy hour was not limited just to a certain lounge. We were able to enjoy complimentary drinks from a set menu throughout the cruise at almost every bar, except the Craft Social and World Class Bar. 

On the set menu for happy hour, you could choose from a variety of simple cocktails and liquors. The bars specifically set out the menu each evening from 5pm-7pm. Throughout the cruise happy hours, we probably enjoyed 10-12 cocktails between the two of us. 

At a minimum, this saved us at least $100-$120 on our cruise! You can have unlimited cocktails during happy hour, so I will definitely choose a later dining time on my future Celebrity Cruise to take advantage of this happy hour. 

My sister and I enjoyed multiple cocktails each evening during happy hour and most enjoyed Sunset Bar. On our final evening, we sipped on a fruity concoction from the bartender while listening to live music while we sailed away from Nassau and back to Miami. 

Oddly, the first day of the cruise was excluded from the Captain's Club happy hour, which was a bit of a bummer.

During the first day of our cruise on Celebrity Silhouette, we were bummed to find out that there was no happy hour for Captain’s Club members that evening. 

The flyer in our cabin specifically stated that the Captain’s Club Cocktail Hour was excluded on embarkation day for whatever reason. Excluding embarkation day isn’t a huge deal, but when compared to Royal Caribbean’s daily voucher allowance that starts on the first day, it is notable. 

On a longer sailing, it also isn’t that big of a deal; however, we were only sailing on a 4-night cruise, so that meant we had only three evenings to take advantage of our benefits, so it was a bit more restrictive in that sense.

Instead, we purchased martinis at the famous Martini Bar on the first night of the cruise while we watched the bartenders perform impressive tricks with the martini glasses.

The martinis were not cheap, as they were $17 each including gratuities. We decided just to have one drink in anticipation of our happy hour kicking in the following evening. We loved the atmosphere of the Martini Bar and enjoyed the DJ playing music throughout the evening. 

Each morning, we could choose to dine at Tuscan Grill for Captain’s Club coffeehouse breakfast, which included cocktails and specialty coffees.

On the third morning of our cruise on Celebrity Silhouette, we decided to try out the Captain’s Club breakfast to see what was offered. This was located in Tuscan Restaurant, which is a specialty dining venue. 

I was thrilled to see I could get my morning latte during the coffeehouse breakfast - and even more excited to see mimosas, Bellinis and Bloody Marys on the menu. The breakfast menu was small with simple offerings like pastries, oatmeal and bagels. 

Receiving a free morning latte saved me $7 - something I wish I had known on the first morning of the cruise. I paid for my specialty coffee the first two mornings in the buffet and could have come here instead.

While I wasn’t necessarily in the mood for a mimosa on this morning, I was excited to see complimentary morning cocktails on the menu. Theoretically, I could have drank way more for free each day on this Celebrity cruise compared to my 5 drink vouchers on Royal Caribbean.

Between the unlimited cocktails, complimentary specialty coffee in the lounge and the nightly happy hours with cocktails, there would be absolutely no need for a drink package on Celebrity for me. 

On the final day, we enjoyed complimentary access to the Persian Garden thermal spa with our Elite status. 

One of the coolest perks with our Elite benefits was complimentary access to the Persian Garden thermal spa. We were able to access the thermal spa during one port day of the cruise as Elite members. We opted to do this on the final day of our cruise while we were docked in Nassau.

When I asked how much a daily pass during a port day would cost to the thermal spa, we were told it’s normally $39.95. 

For the two of us, this was a savings of $80! Whether we would actually pay this much to enjoy the thermal spa is up in the air, but I absolutely loved the ambiance and experience. We relaxed in the warm thermal chairs while also trying the different showers, saunas and steam rooms.

To my knowledge, this is not something offered on Royal Caribbean; but, it’s a perk that I really did enjoy on my Celebrity Cruise. 

As Elite members, we also could have received other benefits such as a free scoop of gelato, complimentary laundry, discounts on photos and more.

Elite members receive a slew of benefits onboard Celebrity cruise ships, including some that we didn't even have time to pursue. 

Unfortunately, I wasn’t feeling my best on the final evening so we didn’t make it to the Captain’s Club exclusive event. I wish this had been hosted on another evening so we could see what it’s all about, but we will save that for a future Celebrity cruise!

Since this was a short 4-night sailing, we didn’t utilize all of the Elite benefits that we were afforded. We had to squeeze in as much as we could! On a weekend getaway, it’s not necessary for me to do laundry most of the time. We also didn’t take a singe professional photo, and this is not something I would pay for even with a 40% discount. 

I was also very satisfied with the complimentary dessert offerings in the buffet and dining room that I never craved gelato from Cafe al Bacio; however, my sister did receive her free scoop on the last day and felt it was the same quality as we were served in the buffet. 

Although Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises do not offer identical benefits, it’s still worthwhile to enjoy the reciprocity perks.

The most important loyalty benefits that I receive on Royal Caribbean include the discounted internet and complimentary daily drinks. I also enjoy the BOGO specialty dining and free professional photo, although these are not make-or-break benefits for me.

Most notably, our biggest savings came from not having to pay for cocktails or specialty coffee - other than our martinis on the first night. We loved the nightly happy hours hosted throughout the ship and appreciated the flexibility of going to almost any bar onboard. 

Additionally, receiving a 30% discount on Internet was appreciated, although the cost of internet was unexplainably more expensive. 

We also enjoyed our complimentary visit to the thermal spa during the ship’s visit to Nassau. Since we’d been to Nassau many times, enjoying the spa was a great way to enjoy our afternoon and do something more relaxing onboard the ship.

Overall, I was pleased with the Elite benefits on my Celebrity Silhouette cruise - and it saved us a lot of money. The savings would certainly compound on a longer Celebrity cruise with the reciprocity status matching, which is something to keep in mind. 

There's only a few days left to experience the Sky Pad before Royal Caribbean retires it.

In an update to travel agents, Royal Caribbean announced it would replace the venue with an unnamed new activity.

Beginning March 31, 2023, Royal Caribbean will begin removing the trampoline experience.

It's not clear what will replace it, but it will become something else.

"Starting in April, the Sky Pad will retire the bungee Virtual Reality experience and become a new versatile venue for exciting onboard activities."

Royal Caribbean says  all of the activities hosted in the Sky Pad venue will continue to be complimentary and included in your cruise fare. This sounds like the large yellow sphere structure itself will not be removed (at least not immediately), but the trampolines will be likely taken away.

Royal Caribbean did not say why they are making the change.

The Sky Pad is a trampoline where guests put on a virtual reality visor to engage in a game as they jump. 

Once inside, participants bounce up and down on the trampolines with the aid of the bungee cords. As you jump on the trampoline, you jump in the game. 

Similar to the FlowRider surf simulator and sky diving simulator, it was meant to offer guests a gravity-defying fun top deck experience.

The first cruise ship to get the Sky Pad was Independence of the Seas during her Royal Amplification, and it spread to a few other ships.

The ships with a Sky Pad include:

• Independence of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas
• Spectrum of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas

In 2019, Royal Caribbean temporarily suspended Sky Pad on all ships as part of a safety review. It's unclear if that pause was related to a guest that was injured on the activity and sued Royal Caribbean.

While on Mariner of the Seas, the guest's harness snapped off and he fell to the deck.

What will replace the Sky Pad?

Royal Caribbean did not say what we can expect to find in the space going forward.

One thing is certain: whatever does go in the space will not have an additional cost and included in your cruise fare.

Royal Caribbean's signature activities

While the Sky Pad may be going away, there's still other great activities you can look forward to enjoying onboard.

Royal Caribbean is known for the array of onboard activities, including a few "I can't believe they put it on a cruise ship" offerings.

Miniature golf courses, surfing simulators and basketball courts are common on the biggest Royal Caribbean ships.

Rock wall

With varying difficulty levels, the rock wall is suitable for both kids and adults alike. 

Royal Caribbean makes sure your safety is paramount - that’s why we provide all the essential safety equipment including helmets, harnesses and shoes for every climber. All you need to bring are a pair of socks! 

Climbers must be at least 6 years old and complete a waiver prior to climbing. Best of all, it’s free and there’s no need to make advance reservations! 

The rock-climbing wall has been designed with both novice and experienced climbers in mind. For those looking to take their skills up a notch, there is advanced climbing sessions and speed-climbing competitions.  Royal Caribbean also hosts teen tournaments, which are a great way for young adventurers to explore their limits safely. 

Surf Simulator

Ready to catch that perfect wave? Royal Caribbean has you covered! With the incredible FlowRider surf simulator onboard some of their ships, you can experience the thrill of surfing in a controlled environment without ever having to leave the comfort and safety of your cruise ship. 

The FlowRider is a self-contained artificial surf area with an incredible 34,000 gallons per minute pumped in order to create realistic waves. Whether you’re looking to try boogie boarding or stand-up surfing, there’s something for everyone. 

Best of all, it’s open for free during scheduled periods during the day. Plus, if you want more than just free play time, private and group lessons are also available for an additional fee. 

But before you hop on board, be sure to check out the height requirements: 52 inches for boogie boarding and 58 inches for stand up surfing. 

Currently, the FlowRider is available on Quantum class, Oasis class, Freedom class and select Voyager class cruise ships. 

Zip Line

Ready to soar like an eagle?  Then you’re looking at the right attraction.  Oasis class ships boast a thrilling zip line that offers a bird’s eye view of the Boardwalk neighborhood.  This isn’t for the faint of heart; it stretches out a whopping 82 feet between two points and rises 9 decks high in the air. 

In order to participate, guests must be at least 52 inches tall and weigh no more than 275 pounds; children must also meet minimum weight requirements — 75 pounds or higher — for their own safety.  Plus, it’s free to use!  All you need is a signature on the waiver before boarding your flight. 

Carousel

Located in the Boardwalk of Oasis Class ships, this full-sized, traditional carousel was hand-crafted and designed with turn-of-the-century carousels as its basis - right down to the very last detail. The original artwork scenery panels on the rounding boards feature custom painted scenes that pay homage to seaside boardwalks of the past. 

But, this is more than just a stunning tribute - it’s also a lot of fun!  18 figures are suspended from stainless steel poles along with one ADA accessible chariot created from poplar wood. There are 11 traditional carousel horses, including one Royal Caribbean lead armored horse complete with the crown and anchor logo. 

Water slides

Royal Caribbean has a wide variety of water slides that can offer the perfect mix of thrills and relaxation.

If you’re looking for an adrenaline rush, they have some awesome speed and racing slides. There's also a spiral water slide on some ships that take you spiraling around each other until you reach the pool below.

Sky diving simulator

Are you looking for an unforgettable adventure while on your next cruise? Look no further than Ripcord by iFly! Located on board the ship, passengers can experience the thrilling sensation of skydiving without having to jump out of a plane. 

The complimentary flight starts with a short video tutorial teaching the basics of skydiving techniques. After that, all you have to do is change into the provided skydiving apparel and get ready for an action-packed one minute ride in the Ripcord by iFly wind tunnel! 

For those looking for an even more exciting experience, two minute rides are available at The North Star at a cost of just $49.99 per person. Advanced flying classes may also be offered onboard which comes with a separate fee. 

North Star

Onboard any of Royal Caribbean's Quantum Class ships, you'll find a unique experience that allows you to take in all the wonders of the sea from above. The North Star is a glass-enclosed observation pod that rises 300 feet above the deck of your ship, offering breathtaking 360° views of the horizon and beyond. 

The best part? During port visits, access to The North Star is completely free! You can book a time slot for yourself and up to three guests throughout most of the day. 

While at sea, each ride up The North Star comes with a cost of $29.99 per person, but it's well worth it for one-of-a-kind sights from up high. Soar above your cruise ship and take in stunning views that could only be made possible by this amazing feat of engineering! 

Royal Caribbean is making significant process with Icon of the Seas' construction. 

In fact, on March 15, the Meyer Turku shipyard confirmed that the first multi-fuel engine was turned on for the first time!

Building a ship this large and technically advanced, however, is sure to come with some challenges, such as designing the water slides for the Category 6 Water Park. 

"We knew we wanted water water everywhere, so we started there," said Jennifer Goswami, Director, Product Development for Royal Caribbean International, "And then we built the rest of the ship around that."

What is Category 6?

Thrill Island will be a brand-new neighborhood dedicated to the most adventurous cruisers and home to the largest water park at sea: Category 6. 

This is not the first new neighborhood on the ship, as families can look forward to Surfside, which will make Icon of the Seas the first cruise ship in the fleet to have an area dedicated to young families.

When done, Category 6 water park will be 17,010 square feet and have six different record breaking slides, including the first family raft slides at sea: Storm Surge and Hurricane Hunter. 

Guests will also find the Pressure Drop, the first open free fall slide at sea. While overlooking a 45 degree angle drop, you will have to gain the courage to push yourself over the edge!

And, of course, the Frightening Bolt, the tallest water slide at sea that will have a 46 foot drop and 360 degree loop. Your ride will begin with you inside of a capsule waiting for the trap door to release. 

Did you know, however, that when Royal Caribbean first starting discussing Icon of the Seas, there were only going to be five slides onboard?  

"One of the interesting stories about the design of Icon of the Seas," said Kelly Gonzalez, Senior Vice President, Architectural Design, Newbuilding for Royal Caribbean Group, "is that we actually this idea of doing quite a number of water slides from the very beginning"

"We actually started with five...[and the name] Category 6 came about also with the decision of adding a sixth water slide."

Importance of collaboration

In total, there is 62% more water surface area on Icon of the Seas than any other Royal Caribbean ship. 

Nobody wanted to compromise on the speed or height of the water slides, so the company had to bring in a lot of experts to help design the water park in a way that it would be technically sound. This meant working with designers, architects, and naval architects. 

"Normally, a ship has maybe a couple of hundred tons or so of water in the pools," said Harri Kulovaara, Executive Vice President, Maritime & Newbuilding for Royal Caribbean Group. They are expecting Icon of the Seas to have closer to one thousand tons of water alone!

From the beginning, they knew that they had to be conscious about how much weight the water would add to the ship, as well as the funnel area in respect to wind and wind turbulence, without compromising the delivery date. 

"We had a weight reservation; we had a water reservation. We always have to work within certain boundaries. We make tradeoffs. We study what we think guests are going to love...," said Jay Schneider, Chief Product Innovation Officer for Royal Caribbean International.

"And really it was working closely with all of the partners throughout the company, including our site office, to make sure that we could push the boundary as really far as we could."

Building the water park

It was important that the slides be handled in a way that they could work with the main structural elements and components that were already built into the skeleton of the ship. 

Since the Category 6 water slides will be so complex and large, they are being built separately from the actual ship. Later, the slides will be barged next to the ship and transferred over to the top deck.  

Of course, Royal Caribbean knew that they were taking risks making this as complicated as they did. 

"I think that there will be so many intricacies, so many complex ways of getting everything that we want on the ship, but that is kind of the Royal Caribbean way as well, right?" said Goswami. 

When it is completed, there will be two towers in the open deck area that the slides will commence from, rather than just one. This design aspect allowed the team to create longer and faster slides for guests to enjoy. And more slides means more water!

There is more to the top decks than just the water park, too. It will be a three-deck high play land with different experiences to appeal to different interests. 

Launching in 2024

When Icon of the Seas launches in early 2024, she will become the world's largest cruise ship, surpassing Wonder of the Seas, as well as the cruise line's first new class of ship since 2014. 

Related: 10 things Royal Caribbean got right with Wonder of the Seas

Icon of the Seas will be more than 6% bigger than Wonder of the Seas with the ability to hold up to 7,600 passengers! She will also be stand 20 decks high, measure 1,198 feet long, and weigh 250,800 gross registered tons.

Icon of the Seas' maiden voyage is not scheduled to depart until January 27, 2024 from Miami, Florida. During her first-ever trip, she will sail to Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; and Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas. 

Throughout 2024 and early 2025, Icon will be sailing round trip from Miami, Florida to the Eastern and Western Caribbean. 

As of March 21, 2023, the two cheapest sail dates are October 26, 2024 and November 16, 2024. Pricing for both begins at $1,271 per person based on double occupancy in an interior stateroom. Some sailings see an interior cabin start at $2,000 per person!

She will be joined by a second unnamed Icon Class ship in late 2025, as well as a third ship in 2026. Construction on the second ship began in February. 

Planning a cruise from Fort Lauderdale? If so, you’ll need to book a hotel in the city the night before your cruise begins, and we’re sharing our top recommendations.

Port Everglades—Fort Lauderdale’s cruise port—is one of the busiest cruise ports in the United States. Nearly 4 million passengers sail from the port each year, the majority of whom cruise to the Eastern, Western, and Southern Caribbean.

Regardless of where your cruise visits, it’s important to allocate enough time to reach the cruise port before embarkation day. We always recommend arriving in Fort Lauderdale the day before your cruise begins, as this gives extra wiggle room in the case of any unexpected travel delays.

Related: Guide to cruises from Fort Lauderdale

Arriving a day early means booking a hotel near the cruise port. Luckily, Port Everglades is located just a few minutes from Fort Lauderdale’s main attractions, from Dania Beach to Las Olas Boulevard.

Here’s our list of the best hotels near Fort Lauderdale to book before your cruise.

Where to stay in Fort Lauderdale before your cruise

Near the airport/Dania Beach

If your flight arrives anytime after 7PM the day before your cruise, we recommend staying near the airport. Although there are many activities and sights to see in Fort Lauderdale, arriving late means you just need a place to sleep, shower, and change before your cruise begins.

Luckily, there is an extensive selection of hotels to choose from near the airport. We recommend staying in the Dania Beach neighborhood, which is located near the airport and cruise port.

Many hotels in Dania Beach are situated along Dania Pointe, an outdoor shopping plaza with restaurants, bars, retail stores, and a movie theater. Due to its location and the variety of dining and shopping to enjoy near your hotel, Dania Beach is a great choice for a pre-cruise stay near the airport.

Las Olas

Las Olas is the downtown district of Fort Lauderdale. It’s an exciting place to spend the night before your cruise, as it’s lined with restaurants, bars, art galleries, and shopping.

The neighborhood is situated along Las Olas Boulevard, a major thoroughfare street which runs from downtown to the beach. The walkability of this neighborhood makes it an excellent place to spend the night before your cruise, as you can enjoy dining and entertainment options close to your hotel.

Not only that, but Las Olas Boulevard is near Fort Lauderdale’s Riverwalk, a district with ten parks and a walking path adjacent to the New River. If you stay in Las Olas, the Riverwalk makes a nice option for a morning stroll while waiting to head to the cruise port on embarkation day.

You should stay in Las Olas before your cruise if you arrive early the day before and want to enjoy dinner and drinks in an exciting, culturally-rich neighborhood.

Fort Lauderdale Beach

Why not start your vacation early? Staying at Fort Lauderdale Beach is the perfect way to enjoy the city’s gorgeous beaches and resort atmosphere before your cruise.

Fort Lauderdale Beach is the center of tourism in the city. It’s lined with hotels, resorts, and restaurants and offers a relaxing pre-cruise stay. Many of the city’s most luxurious hotels are in this neighborhood, but you can find budget-friendly options as well.

You should stay in Fort Lauderdale Beach if you arrive in the city with enough time to enjoy the area. Many guests choose to stay at the beach for a multi-day stay before or after their cruise, thus extending their vacation by several days.

Marriott Fort Lauderdale Airport

• Average nightly price: $200 to $325
• Address: 166 N Compass Way, Dania Beach, FL 33004
• Location: Near airport and Dania Beach

The Marriott Fort Lauderdale Airport is a new hotel within walking distance to the outdoor shopping center of Dania Pointe. Launched in 2021, the hotel boasts modern amenities and decor.

Related: Marriott Fort Lauderdale Airport Hotel Review

Hotel amenities include a fitness center, outdoor pool, free wi-fi, convenience store, and an on-site bar and restaurant. The restaurant, Radiant 166, features an international menu with its own list of signature drinks.

Due to its proximity to the airport and variety of restaurants at Dania Pointe, the Marriott Fort Lauderdale Airport hotel can be an excellent choice for those arriving the night before their cruise.

Crowne Plaza Ft. Lauderdale Airport/Cruise Port

• Average nightly price: $215 to $350
• Address: 455 FL-84, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
• Location: Near airport

The Crowne Plaza at Ft. Lauderdale Airport/Cruise hotel is one of the most convenient hotel options near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. It's located less than ten minutes from both the airport and cruise port, making traveling to and from the hotel as easy as it can be.

Hotel amenities at the Crowne Plaza include an outdoor pool, fitness center, business center, and outdoor patio. The hotel also has an on-site restaurant, Kiki’s Restaurant, serving contemporary Latin and American fare.

This hotel is best for those with a flight arriving late in the evening. There are not a ton of options near the hotel for dining and activities and the hotel is not in the most walkable environment.

However, if you’re arriving late and need a convenient place to rest before ordering a Lyft to Port Everglades in the morning, the Crowne Plaza is a solid option.

Hyatt House Fort Lauderdale Airport - South & Cruise Port

• Average nightly price: $200 to $375
• Address: 90 SW 18th Ave, Dania Beach, FL 33004
• Location: Near airport and Dania Beach

Looking for more space? The Hyatt House Fort Lauderdale Airport is an all-suite hotel with modern, spacious rooms. Studio, one bedroom, and two bedroom suites are available to book at the hotel, all of which feature a living room, fully equipped kitchen, and bedroom(s).

While such a large hotel room may seem like overkill for a pre-cruise hotel stay, the Hyatt House offers competitive pricing. It’s not uncommon to find nightly stays priced the same as nearby hotels with much smaller rooms. Plus, the Hyatt House Fort Lauderdale Airport offers free breakfast, which is definitely a plus when waiting to head to the cruise terminal in the morning.

Other hotel amenities include an on-site restaurant, fitness center, outdoor pool, electric vehicle charging, and business services. The hotel is located in the Dania Beach neighborhood within walking distance to shopping and dining at Dania Pointe.

Wyndham Garden Ft. Lauderdale Airport & Cruise Port

• Average nightly price: $180 to $350
• Address: 129 N Federal Hwy, Dania Beach, FL 33004
• Location: Near airport

The Wyndham Garden Ft. Lauderdale Airport & Cruise Port is an excellent pre-cruise hotel stay near Fort Lauderdale’s airport. The hotel is a five minute drive from the airport, yet it’s along the North Federal Highway with plenty of dining and shopping opportunities.

Amenities at the Wyndham Garden include an outdoor pool, fitness center, free parking, a convenience store, and an on-site restaurant and cafe.

The hotel isn’t in the most exciting area, especially when you could stay in Dania Pointe, Fort Lauderdale Beach, or Las Olas, but it’s a comfortable, clean, and relatively affordable place to spend the night before your cruise.

Fairfield Inn and Suites Fort Lauderdale Airport-Cruise Port

• Average nightly price: $150 to $330
• Address: 2081 Griffin Rd, Dania Beach, FL 33312
• Location: Near airport

The Fairfield Inn and Suites Fort Lauderdale Airport-Cruise Port is one of the most budget-friendly hotels on our list. When booking several months in advance, it’s possible to find nightly rates between $140 and $180.

Amenities at the Fairfield Inn include an outdoor pool and hot tub, fitness center, and convenience store. Free grab and go breakfast is available each morning as well.

The hotel is located just west of the airport and is a ten minute drive to Port Everglades. The Fairfield Inn is best for those arriving in Fort Lauderdale late at night who aren’t interested in the trendy restaurant, bar, and beach atmosphere elsewhere in the city.

The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort

• Average nightly price: $375 to $600
• Address: 321 N Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
• Location: Fort Lauderdale Beach

Starting your vacation early at the beach? The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort may be your best bet for a pre (or post) cruise stay.

The Westin offers both standard rooms and suites, the most coveted of which have sweeping ocean views.

Amenities at the hotel include the Heavenly Spa, an outdoor infinity pool, fitness center, and a skywalk bringing guests directly from the pool to the beach. The hotel’s resort fee includes additional amenities including bike rentals, non-motorized water sports, seaside yoga, and beach chairs.

Five dining venues are located at the restaurant:

• Lona Cocina & Tequileria
• Waves Bar & Drill
• Tinta (breakfast)
• Starbucks
• Grab & Go Cafe

The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort is a great hotel choice for those looking to splurge on their pre-cruise hotel stay. Because the hotel puts a focus on enjoying the beach, outdoor pool space, and on-site restaurants, you may want to book a stay longer than just one night.

Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort

• Average nightly price: $335 to $650
• Address: 505 N Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
• Location: Fort Lauderdale Beach

The Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, like the Westin, is another nice choice for those looking for a more elevated hotel experience on the beach. The property is an all-suite resort, and most suites have a kitchen, living room, and one or two bedrooms. Suites also feature private balconies with ocean views.

Amenities include a spacious outdoor pool, fitness center, spa, beach access, and electric vehicle charging. There are four dining venues at the Hilton, from the Le Marché Gourmet Market for casual fare to the Sun, Surf, and Sand Restaurant for seafood.

The Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort is one of the premiere hotel options for a pre-cruise stay in Fort Lauderdale. If your flight doesn’t arrive until 10PM the night before your cruise, it’s probably not the best choice, but if you arrive with enough time to enjoy the hotel’s amenities, you can’t go wrong with a stay at the property.

Hyatt Centric Las Olas Fort Lauderdale

• Average nightly price: $230 to $400
• Address: 100 E Las Olas Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
• Location: Las Olas

Near the hip neighborhood of Las Olas is the Hyatt Centric Las Olas Fort Lauderdale, and this hotel is the perfect choice for those in search of an exciting evening in the city. The hotel has both standard rooms and suites and offers an outdoor pool, fitness center, and on-site restaurants.

Related: Hyatt Centric Las Olas Fort Lauderdale Hotel Review

We recommend arriving with enough time to enjoy the property’s colorful pool space, which features a pool bar and rooftop yoga sessions in the morning.

The hotel even features a reservations-only speakeasy. Named Room Nine01, the experience transports guests back to the 1920s and offers an array of cocktails and a gourmet food menu.

Staying at the Hyatt Centric Las Olas is best for those hoping to enjoy Fort Lauderdale’s evening and nighttime scene. Bars and restaurants dot Las Olas Boulevard and offer a fantastic way to get your vacation started the night before your cruise begins.

Embassy Suites by Hilton Fort Lauderdale 17th Street

• Average nightly price: $220 to $400
• Address: 1100 SE 17th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
• Location: Harbordale (near cruise port)

The Embassy Suites by Hilton Fort Lauderdale is located just about as close as you can get to the cruise port, making it a popular choice among cruisers.

Amenities at the property include an outdoor pool and patio, fitness center, on-site restaurant, and complimentary evening reception. A made-to-order breakfast is also included, which is served daily in the hotel’s courtyard.

All rooms are suites, and both two and three room suites are available.

While the hotel may not be located in the most interesting neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale, it offers a convenient pre-cruise hotel stay. The hotel is located near a shopping plaza, too, which can be helpful for picking up any last-minute items you need for the cruise.

Holiday Inn Express Ft. Lauderdale Cruise-Airport

• Average nightly price: $215 to $330
• Address: 1500 SE 17th Street Causeway, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
• Location: Harbordale (near cruise port)

Located just down the road from the Embassy Suites is the Holiday Inn Express Ft. Lauderdale Cruise-Airport.

The Holiday Inn Express has 147 rooms, although it doesn’t have any suite options. Amenities at the hotel include complimentary breakfast, an outdoor pool, and fitness center.

Like other hotels in close proximity to the airport and cruise port, the Holiday Inn won’t offer a luxurious resort experience. Instead, it serves as a place to catch up on rest after a long flight or drive before starting your cruise vacation in the morning.

It is official-- Royal Caribbean now holds the world record for the most passengers and crew onboard a transatlantic cruise ship crossing. 

A total of 7,604 people were onboard Symphony of the Seas, including 5,350 guests and 2,224 crew members, as she made her way from Miami, Florida to Barcelona, Spain to begin her seasonal Mediterranean cruises. The cruise lasted a total of 12-nights, departing on March 9 and arriving in Barcelona on March 21.

Before beginning her summer cruises, Symphony of the Seas will undergo basic maintenance at the Navantia shipyard in Cádiz, Spain. The next scheduled cruise will depart on April 16, 2023 from Barcelona and visit Palma De Mallorca, Spain; Provence (Marseille), France; Florence/Pisa (La Spezia), Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; and Naples / Capri, Italy before returning to Barcelona.

Symphony of the Seas will wrap up her European season on October 29 when she departs Barcelona on a 14-night transatlantic voyage back to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. En route, she will dock at Valencia, Spain; Seville (Cádiz), Spain; and Nassau, Bahamas.

That is not the only piece of headline worthy news from Royal Caribbean, either!

Keep reading to learn more about the first engine that was started on Icon of the Seas', a new Royal Caribbean Group board member, as well as a credit card policy changes.

First engine started on the highly anticipated Icon of the Seas

Even though Icon of the Seas is still months away from entering service as the cruise line's first Icon Class ship, getting excited over milestones is one way to make the time pass quicker. On March 15, the Meyer Turku shipyard confirmed that the first multi-fuel engine was turned on for the first time!

Per a social media post that was published directly by the shipyard, "Chef engineer Tuomas Auvien says: 'Icon of the Seas has six Wärtsilä main engines. The first of them (number 2) was started today, Wednesday 3/15 at 11:00 a.m."

"Both diesel and natural gas can be used as fuel in the main engines, Wednesday's start was made with diesel. The first main engine start on a ship largely tells a lot about the ship's readiness. It is a sign that the various departments throughout the yard have achieved something significant. To achieve this milestone, all professional groups are needed, and for that, big thanks to everyone!"

When she makes her grand debut, Icon of the Seas will be the largest cruise ship in the world, surpassing Wonder of the Seas, measuring 250,800 gross tons with the ability to carry nearly 10,000 passengers and crew combined. She will also be the first ship in the fleet to run on LNG-power.

This type of fuel is one of the cleanest-burning marine fuels. When engines are built to use LNG fuel, this helps to reduce a cruise ship’s carbon emissions by approximately 30%.

The maiden voyage is currently scheduled for January 27, 2024 out of Miami, Florida. 

This news comes roughly one month after Royal Caribbean began construction on the second unnamed Icon Class cruise ship at the same shipyard.

Rebecca Yeung joins Royal Caribbean Group's Board of Directors effective March 15

Yeung has about 30 years of global experience in strategy and operations technology, and she is currently the corporate vice president, operations science and advanced technology at FedEx Corporation.

She has been at FedEx Corporation since 1998 and has served in different roles, including marketing, innovation, and technology. Her previous role at the company was the vice president, advanced technology & innovation.

Her current role makes Yeung responsible for advancing FedEx’s innovation and transformation strategy, including scaling robotics and automation technology, autonomous vehicles, decision science, and electromobility.

She brings experience and expertise of working on a board of directors, too, as she also serves on the Board of Directors of Columbus McKinnon.

Richard D. Fain, Chairman of the Board, Royal Caribbean Group, said, “Ms. Yeung brings a valuable combination of skills to our board, as she is well-versed in technology, digitization and business strategy."

Additionally, Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group, said, “We’re excited to welcome Rebecca Yeung to the Board of Directors as we continue to deliver the world’s best vacations, responsibly."

“We believe her experience in technology, automation and innovation will be a valuable addition to the board as we usher in the next phases of our growth.”

Royal Caribbean changes credit card policy

An email sent out on March 20 indicates that Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises' payment processes will soon be heightened with additional security checks to authenticate credit card submissions.  
 
Effective April 1, 2023, CVV (Credit Verification Value) authentication will be required for all payments related to cruise fare, air travel, and pre-cruise purchases to help assist in fraud prevention mitigate overall risk. 

The payment process will remain unchanged, other than the new requirement to enter CVV at time of payment. Note that personal PIN numbers and CVV are different, as the latter is a unique code that verifies the physical presence of the form of payment at the time of transaction. 

On Visa, MasterCard, and Discover branded cards, the CVV is a 3 digit number located on the back of the card. On American Express cards, the CVV is a 4 digit number that can be found on the front of the card.

As your Royal Caribbean cruise approaches, there is one important step you shouldn’t overlook: selecting an early check-in time.

45 days prior to your cruise, you can check in to your sailing via Royal Caribbean’s website or the Royal Caribbean app. During the online check-in process, you'll upload identification documents, provide credit card information, and, most importantly, select a check-in time.

Your check-in time is the time at which you can enter the cruise terminal on embarkation day. The earliest check-in time is around 10:30AM and the latest in mid afternoon, and we always recommend reserving the earliest time available.

The earlier you get onboard your cruise, the more quickly you can start the vacation you’ve been dreaming about for so long. Beyond just starting your vacation earlier, though, are a range of other benefits you can experience by boarding earlier than most other passengers.

Here are the top 11 reasons to get as early a check-in time as possible for your cruise.

Fewer crowds at the cruise terminal

One of the best reasons to get an early check-in time is to avoid crowds at the cruise terminal. The embarkation process is fairly straightforward, but it entails going through several lines before you can board your ship.

First you’ll enter a line outside the terminal for other passengers with your same check-in time. Then, as you enter the terminal, you’ll enter a line to have your documentation checked. Finally, you’ll enter a line to go through security.

Waiting in line is not anyone’s idea of a fun vacation, so make sure to get an early check-in time to be among the first in the cruise terminal.

Best parking spots at the port

If you have an early check-in time, you’ll be among the first to arrive at the cruise terminal. Even though 1,000 other passengers may have your same check-in time, there will be far less competition for a great parking spot compared to later in the day.

If your check-in time isn’t until 1PM and you plan to park your car in the lot, you’ll be stuck with the worst spots. Getting an early check-in time means you can snag the coveted spots near the entrance of the closest garage to the terminal.

Avoid parking garage delays

It’s an all too common scenario: you’re ready to park your car but are stuck in a long, slow moving line of traffic. No one likes being stuck in traffic at any time, but especially when you’re ready to board your cruise!

Depending on your cruise ship, between three thousand and seven thousand people will board the ship on the same day. Managing thousands of people is never easy, and this can lead to crowds not only in the cruise terminal, but also in the parking garage.

Avoid delays to park your car by selecting an early check-in time. If you’re lucky, you’ll be among the first to park your car, which will surely be quicker than later in the afternoon.

Start your vacation sooner

Who doesn’t want to start their vacation as soon as possible? Having an early check-in time for a Royal Caribbean cruise means you can get your vacation started earlier than other passengers.

The earlier you check-in and board your ship, the faster you can explore your ship, order your first cocktail by the pool, and hang out in a jacuzzi. With the earliest check-in times, it’s feasible to be onboard before 11:30AM, allowing you to make the most of your first day onboard.

Passengers with late check-in times—think 1:30 or 2PM—will feel a lot more rushed on embarkation day. After they get onboard and eat a quick lunch, they’ll have to rush to their eMuster safety drill station and get ready for dinner.

Why rush when you can relax? Reserve an early check-in time to kick your vacation off the right way.

Best selection of dining times

Royal Caribbean’s dining packages can offer a great value on specialty restaurants, but they come with one major disadvantage: you can’t make dining reservations until you board the ship.

This means you may be limited on dining times and restaurant availability compared to those who paid full price for each restaurant by booking their reservations without a dining package. And since dining packages are extremely popular, many other passengers will be rushing to make dining reservations on embarkation day.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Royal Caribbean’s Unlimited Dining Package

Popular dining times—from 6 to 7:30PM—can book up quickly. One way to snag the best dining times is by getting onboard early and immediately heading to a specialty restaurant. Luckily, you can make reservations for all specialty restaurants at a single location, so there’s no need to visit every single restaurant to book your dining time.

Note: The exception is with Izumi Hibachi. If you plan to make hibachi reservations, be sure to head to Izumi once onboard.

Beyond specialty dining, though, you can be among the first to head to the Main Dining Room to confirm or request reservations. If you have any questions about your dining time or would like to request a new table, you can do so before other passengers arrive.

Shorter lines for the buffet

Nothing screams “first day of a cruise” quite like rushing to the Windjammer for embarkation day lunch. Royal Caribbean’s buffet gets extremely busy on embarkation day as thousands of hungry passengers search for a quick lunch to start their vacation.

One of the best advantages to having an early check-in time is getting onboard before most other passengers, and this also means getting to the Windjammer more quickly. If you’re one of the first to board your cruise ship, you’ll encounter fewer lines and crowds at the buffet, making the start to your vacation much less hectic!

Related: Where can I eat on the first day of my Royal Caribbean cruise?

Alternatively, you could choose to dine elsewhere instead of the buffet. Other restaurants are open on embarkation day, from specialty dining venues like Chops Grille to quick grab and go spots like Park Cafe. While the Windjammer is convenient, it can be uncomfortably busy on the first day of your cruise.

Register kids at Adventure Ocean more quickly

Cruising with kids? If you plan to drop your kids off at Adventure Ocean, you can register them for the program on embarkation day.

Adventure Ocean, Royal Caribbean’s children's programming, is complimentary for ages 3-17, but all children must be registered. The best time to register kids for Adventure Ocean is on embarkation day, and registration opens around 12:30PM.

Related: 50 best cruising with kids tips & secrets

Registration only takes a few minutes, but you’ll want to avoid the lines you might find later in the afternoon. The earlier you register your kids at Adventure Ocean, the less you have to worry about, and the sooner you can start trying fun activities onboard.

Try activities before everyone else

Speaking of fun activities, the sooner you get onboard, the sooner you can try signature activities like the FlowRider, rock climbing wall, Skypad, and waterslides.

Not all passengers know that these activities are open as soon as you board the ship, leading to far fewer lines and wait times.

If you’re eager to try the zip line, head to the sports deck right after lunch. Unlike on a busy sea day, you might be one of the only passengers in line, allowing you to fly across the zip line several times in a row with no wait!

Be sure to confirm activity times in the Royal Caribbean app’s daily schedule to make sure the activity you’re interested in is open. We also recommend wearing tennis shoes on embarkation day if you plan to participate in sports activities.

Reserve entertainment and activities before other passengers

There are certain activities and production shows that must be reserved in advance, and spots can fill up quickly. Comedy shows, the escape room, and the North Star observation pod are all examples of activities that require a reservation.

Luckily, you can pre book some entertainment and activities ahead of time on Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner website. Broadway shows, for example, can be reserved at no extra cost starting 30 days before your cruise. We recommend doing this to ensure you can reserve the best day and time that work for you.

Some activities, though, can only be reserved once onboard. If you’re sailing on a Quantum Class ship and want to try RipCord by iFLY, the ship’s indoor skydiving simulator, you’ll need a reservation. While you can reserve the paid option of this activity before your cruise (a 2 minute flight), the complimentary option (a 1 minute flight) is only available to book onboard.

Related: 15 free things to try on your next cruise

The limited amount of complimentary flights will fill up more quickly than you think, so having an early check-in time gives you a head start on reserving these activities.

Be the first at the pool

Crowded pool decks are a common sight on a cruise ship, but not on embarkation day. If you want to avoid crowds, pack your swimsuit in your carry-on bag and head to the pool right after you get onboard.

Embarkation day is perhaps the most empty you’ll see a cruise ship pool during your entire vacation. With so much happening on the first day, from exploring the ship to unpacking, many cruisers wait to use the pool until later in their cruise.

Related: 25 things you need to know for the first day on a cruise ship

Plus, most passengers don’t think to bring a bathing suit in their carry-on bag. If they dropped off their luggage with the porters at the cruise terminal, they’ll be swimsuit-less for the majority of embarkation day.

Even so, you can still encounter crowds at the pool on embarkation day, especially if you’re on a short weekend cruise. Having an early check-in time means you can eat lunch and change into your bathing suit before most other passengers have boarded the ship!

Hotel check-out

Many passengers stay at a hotel the night before their cruise begins, especially if they fly to the cruise port. Most hotels require you to check out around 11AM, which coincides perfectly with the earliest check-in times for a Royal Caribbean cruise.

If you need to check out of your hotel at 11AM but your check-in time at the terminal isn’t until 2PM, this could lead to several hours waiting around with your luggage.

Getting the earliest check-in time possible means you can wake up, have breakfast, and head to the cruise terminal as soon as you check out of your hotel.

Booking a Celebrity Cruise? Be sure to join the Captain’s Club—the cruise line’s loyalty program—which provides exclusive perks and events to loyal cruisers.

Although there are dozens of cruise lines to choose from, many people prefer staying loyal to one brand. Staying loyal to one cruise line allows you to rack up loyalty points more quickly, leading to not only money-saving rewards, but an enhanced onboard experience.

One of the best aspects of Celebrity Cruises’ loyalty program is the reciprocity with Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society. You can easily match your status between the two brands. This means that, even if you’ve never sailed with Celebrity before, you may be eligible for one of the top tiers in their loyalty program as a Crown & Anchor Society member.

Everything from onboard discounts to free cruises are rewarded to Captain’s Club members, and we’re sharing everything you need to know about the program.

How do I earn Captain’s Club points?

You earn points in Celebrity’s Captain’s Club based on the stateroom you book and number of nights you sail. Because of this structure, the speed at which you move up tiers in the loyalty program can differ greatly from one passenger to the next.

Here is how many points you will earn per night on Celebrity Cruises:

• Inside or ocean view: 2 points per night
• Veranda: 3 points per night
• Concierge Class and AquaClass: 5 points per night
• Sky Suites and Aqua Sky Suite: 8 points per night
• Celebrity, Signature, Royal, and Sunset Suites: 12 points per night
• Penthouse, Reflection, and Edge Villa: 18 points per night
• Iconic Suite: 24 points per night

Staying in the Iconic Suite—the cruise line’s most luxurious suite—earns a whopping 12x more points than an inside or ocean view cabin. Of course, earning more points per night comes at a higher price point.

At 12 points per night, the Iconic Suite can cost over $30,000 per person on a 7-night cruise! You can find deals on inside cabins, on the other hand, for under $600 per person.

Power Up Points with Celebrity Cruises

Don’t have a cruise booked? You can still earn Captain’s Club points with Celebrity through their Power Up Points program.

Power Up Points are points that can be earned online and converted to Captain’s Club points at a 10:1 ratio. For every ten Power Up Points you earn, you’ll receive 1 Captain’s Club point.

You can earn Power Up Points through participating in online activities like surveys and social media content. Completing an online survey may be worth 20 Power Up Points, for example, so 2 Captain’s Club points will be automatically added to your loyalty account.

To sign up for Celebrity’s Power Up Points program, you can enroll on Celebrity’s website.

Captain’s Club Tier Overview

There are six tiers to the Captain’s Club loyalty program, each of which offers increasingly more coveted benefits:

• Preview (0 Club Points)
• Classic (2-149 Club Points)
• Select (150-200 Club Points)
• Elite (300-749 Club Points)
• Elite Plus (750-2,999 Club Points)
• Zenith (3,000+ Club Points)

The first level, Preview, is for first-time cruisers on Celebrity. Beyond access to the Captain’s Club newsletter, loyalty desk access, and eligibility for Captain’s Club promotions when booking onboard, this tier does not offer any other benefits.

It acts as a starting point for those cruising for the first time to encourage these guests to continue cruising with Celebrity.

More benefits are included in the Classic tier. Starting at 2 Club Points, all cruisers will be at this level after their first Celebrity cruise. Benefits include:

• Special Captain’s Club Welcome Celebration Night
• Access to exclusive events on specialty sailings
• One pre-cruise category upgrade up to AquaClass
• 10% discount on wifi packages
• 25% discount on digital or print photo package
• $100 off The Studio photo packages
• 10% discount on a drink package or premium drink package
• 10% discount at The Spa
• 10% discount off one-time use laundry services
• 10% off any bottle of wine
• 5% discount on small group discovery shore excursions
• 5% discount on Hollywood Hot Glass
• Complimentary scoop of gelato
• Complimentary specialty coffee when dining in a specialty restaurant

Select is the next tier up from the Classic level. The Select level brings additional discounts and freebies, but it doesn’t offer the exclusive benefits you’ll see as you move further up the Captain’s Club.

Nonetheless, in addition to the benefits of the Classic tier, you’ll receive:

• Captain’s Club Wine Tasting
• Captain’s Club Backstage Tour
• 15% off any bottle of wine
• 25% off wifi packages
• 30% off digital or print photo packages
• $150 off The Studio photo package
• Two complimentary pressed laundry items
• One discounted bag of laundry for cruises 12 nights or longer

If you always cruise in inside or ocean view rooms, it will take around eleven 7-night cruises to reach the Select tier. Staying in standard veranda rooms drops this to just seven cruises, whereas cruising in a Sky Suite would have you reaching the Select tier after just three cruises.

Elite Tiers in Celebrity’s Captain’s Club

Preview, Classic, and Select are the three lower tiers in the Captain’s Club. Once you reach 300 Club Points, you join the Elite tier and start to see many more benefits.

Celebrity has two elite tiers: Elite and Elite Plus. If you only booked 7-night cruises, reaching the Elite tier would require:

• 22 cruises in an interior room
• 15 cruises in a veranda
• 9 cruises in Concierge Class or AquaClass
• 6 cruises in a Sky Suite or Aqua Sky Suite
• 4 cruises in a Celebrity, Signature, Royal, or Sunset Suite
• 3 cruises in a Penthouse, Reflection, and Edge Villa
• 2 cruises in an Iconic Suite

Exclusive access

Elite members and above in the Captain’s Club are invited to two daily events: the Coffee Lounge and Elite Cocktail Hour.

Each morning for two hours, a private continental breakfast is held in either the Tuscan Restaurant or Tuscan Grille specialty restaurant. Although the breakfast does not have as much variety as the Oceanview Cafe or main dining room, it offers a quieter breakfast option. As a plus, smoothies, mimosas, and other boozy breakfast drinks are complimentary!

Additionally, a cocktail hour is held each evening from 5-7PM, excluding embarkation day. The cocktail hour is not held in a specific venue; instead, guests can order drinks from the cocktail hour menu at most bars and lounges across the ship.

Elite members and above also have complimentary access to the Persian Garden on one port day. The Persian Garden is a thermal suite—available only on Millennium and Solstice Class ships—that features steam rooms, saunas, and hot stone loungers.

Private events

Elite members have access to additional private events compared to those in lower tiers, such as Music + Mixology, which features exclusive cocktail offerings and a live band. The Senior Officer Party is offered as well, where Elite members and higher can mingle with senior officers onboard their cruise ship.

As another plus, those sailing on the Celebrity Apex or Celebrity Beyond can participate in Create & Pour, a paint and sip event led by one of the ship’s artists. If you’re looking to let your creative side shine during a Celebrity cruise, this can definitely be a fun event.

Additional benefits

In addition to the exclusive events and benefits found in the Preview, Classic, and Select tiers are several other perks for Elite members.

If your cruise itinerary includes tender ports, Elite members get priority tender access, which can be a nice benefit when you’re hoping to get on shore as early as possible.

Other benefits include a complimentary dry clean item, one complimentary bag of laundry, and a private shipboard departure lounge.

Discounts increase with the Elite tier as well:

• 20% off any bottle of wine
• 15% discount on drink package or premium drink package
• 30% discount on wifi package and 90 minutes of premium wifi
• 40% off digital or print photo packages
• $200 off The Studio photo package

Elite Plus

The next tier up from Elite is Elite Plus, which you will reach with 750 Captain’s Club points. In comparison to the jump from Select to Elite, there are not nearly as many additional perks given upon reaching Elite Plus status.

One new event Elite Plus members receive access to is the Spa Wellness event. This event includes enjoying sailaway on the Spa Veranda, a guided meditation, and an overview of wellness treatments and mini massages.

Additionally, Elite Plus members receive several increased discounts:

• 15% off specialty dining cover charge
• 20% off regular drink package
• 35% discount on wifi and 240 minutes of premium wifi
• $250 off The Studio photo package
• Two complimentary bags of laundry

Zenith: The Ultimate Tier

The highest tier in Celebrity’s Captain’s Club is Zenith, which you can reach with an impressive 3,000 Club Points.

To put this into perspective, reaching Zenith would require spending 1,500 nights on a Celebrity cruise in an inside room! While this number goes down a bit when staying in a veranda (1,000 nights) and Sky Suite (375), there is no denying that you have to cruise a lot to reach Zenith.

Unsurprisingly, the top tier of the Captain’s Club delivers impressive benefits, including:

• Complimentary unlimited premium wifi package
• Complimentary laundry
• Complimentary premium drink package
• 50% discount on digital or print photo package
• $300 off The Studio photo packages
• 25% off specialty dining cover charge
• 20% discount at The Spa
• Priority seating in the theater
• Access to Concierge Lunch in the Main Dining Room
• Upgraded bath amenities
• Charitable donation on your behalf made by Captain’s Club
• Complimentary 7-night Caribbean or Bermuda cruise upon reaching Zenith
• Complimentary 7-night Caribbean or Bermuda cruise at 6,000 points, and every 3,000 points thereafter

Loyalty matching with other cruise lines

Celebrity’s Captains Club has reciprocity with Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society and Silversea's Venetian Society. Though Royal Caribbean and Celebrity previously had a status-matching program in place, it was limited. Those within the highest tiers of each line could only match to Diamond and Elite, respectively. 

The status matching between these three brands means you can match your Captain’s Club tier level to the Crown & Anchor Society and Venetian Society. 

Those holding Pinnacle Status with Royal's C&A Program can now benefit from Zenith perks when cruising on one of Celebrity's ships. Similarly, Zenith Captain's Club members will hold Pinnacle Status while sailing on a Royal Caribbean cruise. 

There are a few exclusions, however, as certain loyalty benefits are reserved for members who attain the status based on accumulated points and nights sailed within each brand. If you're a Pinnacle Club C&A cruiser, you won't, for instance, qualify for a free Zenith cruise through Celebrity. 

Moreover, points are earned at the individual level and cannot be combined with other loyalty programs, so any cruise points accumulated onboard a Celebrity ship won't help you ascend the ranks of the Crown & Anchor Society. 

Captain’s Club Partnerships

Celebrity Cruises has partnerships with entertainment, hotel, and retail companies throughout the United States. These partnerships provide additional benefits to Captain's Club members, from free upgrades at resorts to discounted production shows.

Celebrity Cruises Night Out

Members of the Captain’s Club have access to discounts at a variety of Broadway shows, production shows, and sporting events across the United States. Depending on the show, you can save between 10-40% off standard ticket prices.

Some offers even include a $25 dining credit to be used at STK Steakhouse at their locations in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Denver.

Upcoming shows can be viewed at the Celebrity Cruises Nights Out page here.

MGM

Celebrity has a partnership with MGM Resorts and offers a tier-matching program. This leads to great benefits at many MGM Resorts locations, which include waived resort fees, free room upgrades, priority check-in at resort properties, complimentary valet parking, and more.

Preview members are matched to MGM’s Sapphire tier whereas Classic members are matched to the Pearl tier. These tiers don’t give as many benefits as higher tiers in the program, but you can still see benefits like discounts on entertainment and car rentals.

Select, Elite, Elite Plus, and Zenith are matched to MGM’s Gold tier, and this is where most of the benefits kick in.

Hertz Rental Car

Celebrity’s partnership with Hertz gives additional benefits to Captain’s Club members. Depending on your tier level with Celebrity, you will receive a Hertz Gold Plus Rewards membership in addition to weekly rental discounts and free upgrades.

1-800-Flowers.com

As a Captain’s Club member, you get up to 20% off any purchase from 1-800-Flowers.com and its brands, including:

• Harry & David
• Cheryl’s Cookies
• Simply Chocolate
• The Popcorn Factory

Just use the code "CAPTAINSCLUB" when making your purchase. 

Captain’s Club questions

Do Captain’s Club points ever expire?

Captain’s Club points will never expire as long as you have an active account in the loyalty program. Unlike most airline loyalty programs, you won’t have to worry about reaching a certain level of cruising each year to keep your benefits.

How many points do I need for a free cruise on Celebrity?

To earn a free cruise through Celebrity Cruises' Captain’s Club, you must reach the Zenith tier at 3,000 points. Once you reach Zenith, you can book a complimentary 7-night Caribbean or Bermuda cruise. Zenith members are given a veranda stateroom for this free sailing, although they must pay taxes and fees.

You can receive additional free cruises with Celebrity Cruises after every 3,000 Club Points you earn. At 6,000 points, for example, you receive a complimentary 7-night Caribbean or Bermuda cruise, but this time in an AquaClass stateroom.

You would continue receiving complimentary cruises when you hit 9,000 points, 12,000 points, 15,000 points, etc.

Can I link my account to a spouse or partner?

You can link your Captain’s Club account to a spouse or partner, and both members will take the tier level of the spouse/partner with more points.

However, points are still earned by each member individually, so if the accounts are separated, the members will only have access to the points they earned individually.

What is the Captain’s Club phone number?

If you have additional questions about the Captain’s Club, or need to inquire about points that have not yet posted to your account, you can call Celebrity Cruises.

• United States and Canada: 1-844-418-8624
• United Kingdom: 0844 481 7505 (costs 7p per minute)
• Ireland: 1800 932 662 (costs 7p per minute)

Planning a Celebrity cruise? Start here:

• Celebrity Cruises guide: Ships, itineraries, tips & more
• Celebrity Cruises Drink Package Info, Tips, Pros & Cons
• I just spent 11 days on Celebrity Edge—did it live up to the hype?

This was a busy week with Royal Caribbean news, and we have a summary of all of the news from this week to make certain you did not miss any of it.

One Royal Caribbean offer was indeed too good to be true.

After accidently posting a new VIP pass for sale on its site, the cruise line informed anyone that bought it that their purchase would be cancelled and money paid refunded.

The Premier Pass was on sale for about a day or so before the mistake was spotted.

Royal Caribbean delays Mariner of the Seas return

The scheduled dry dock work on Mariner of the Seas will require more time than Royal Caribbean anticipated.

Guests booked on the first sailing back received an email that the April 1, 2023 sailing has been cancelled.

Mariner of the Seas is currently in Cadiz, Spain undergoing dry dock for routine maintenance.

Royal Caribbean News

• Utopia of the Seas: Everything we know so far
• Tipping on a cruise ship: what you should and shouldn't do
• Is it a boat vs ship? What's the difference?
• 2023 Celebrity Cruises Drink Package Info, Tips, Pros & Cons

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 491st episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, all about Royal Caribbean's plans for a beach club in Nassau.

Royal Caribbean will open a beach club in Nassau, Bahamas and here's what Matt thinks of what we know so far.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

New RCB Video: 9 Common misconceptions about a Royal Caribbean cruise

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Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — 9 Common misconceptions about a Royal Caribbean cruise — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean adding “Wizard of Oz” musical to Icon of the Seas

We now know which musical will be featured on Icon of the Seas when she launches next year.

Nick Weir, Senior Vice President of Entertainment for Royal Caribbean International, posted on Twitter an announcement that The Wizard of Oz will be the show for Icon.

Royal Caribbean says the Wizard of Oz production is not the 2011 musical adaption by Andrew Lloyd Weber.

How does a cheap Celebrity cruise compare to Royal Caribbean?

What's it like to go on Celebrity Cruises for a cheap cruise versus Royal Caribbean?

Both cruise lines are owned by the same company, but the experiences do vary somewhat.

Allie tried a cheap 4-night cruise on Celebrity Silhouette and compared it to her cheap cruise on Mariner of the Seas.

What cruisers wish they knew before going on their first cruise

Hindsight is always 20/20, including going on a cruise ship.

We asked people on the internet for what they know now that they wish they knew before trying their first cruise.

From beating the chair hogs to asserting dominance in the elevator, here are our favorite answers.

Referring to a cruise ship as a boat is one of the biggest faux pas when it comes to cruising. We’ve all heard a first-time cruiser exclaim “Look how big that boat is!” without realizing that they should be calling it a ship.

Cruise ships are massive vessels that can weigh over 200,000 tons—the polar opposite of a small sailboat or canoe—but what is the difference between a boat and a ship?

Generally speaking, a boat refers to a small vessel whereas a ship refers to a large vessel. This may seem obvious, but it’s the easiest way to classify a boat versus a ship. A common way to compare the two is that a boat can be carried on a ship, but a ship cannot be carried on a boat.

However, the exact definition of a boat versus a ship cannot be determined by just size. At what size does a boat become a ship? Does having a certain number of engines turn a boat into a ship? Or does the body of water a vessel travels through determine if it is a boat or ship?

Unfortunately, there’s no standard, internationally-accepted definition of a boat versus a ship. Nonetheless, there are a few ways in which you can usually tell the difference between a boat and a ship.

Size of a boat versus a ship

The most obvious difference between a boat and a ship is size—boats are smaller than ships. Depending on the source, a water going vessel could be considered a ship when it is over 100 feet in length, although by some definitions it must be even longer.

Length is not the only factor that determines whether it is a ship or boat, though. Some definitions require a vessel to weigh over 500 tons to be considered a ship. For reference, the average sailboat weighs a little over four tons while the smallest Royal Caribbean ship has a gross tonnage of nearly 80,000!

Ships also have the potential to transport boats. The largest cruise ships, for example, carry around twenty lifeboats, but you'll never see a lifeboat carrying a ship (hence why it’s a lifeboat and not a lifeship).

Powering a boat versus a ship

Powering a ship is a complex operation. Ships have much more complex technology onboard, with modern navigation systems and operational equipment.

Allure of the Seas—one of Royal Caribbean’s biggest ships—has six engines that provide 13,500 horsepower, making the 225,282 ton vessel sail smoothly through the seas. In addition to engines are tunnel thrusters, stabilizers, gas turbines, wastewater treatment systems, and large galleys.

Boats, on the other hand, don’t require such complex mechanics. Small boats, such as canoes and kayaks, can be powered by a single paddle, whereas sailboats move with the wind. You certainly won’t see a Royal Caribbean ship powered by wind!

Boats can also be powered by motors, but they aren’t nearly as powerful as the engines you’ll find on a ship.

Crew, passengers, and cargo

Powering a ship requires much more technology compared to a boat. Most Royal Caribbean cruise ships have over 1,000 crew members working onboard, and most of them are not even involved in the technical operation of the ship.

Sure, you have crew working in the engine room, but there are chefs, stateroom attendants, entertainers, and musicians onboard as well, something you won’t find on most boats.

Other ships, such as cargo ships, may only have 20 to 30 crew members onboard. This is still much more than you’ll find on most boats, especially those built for only two or three people. Even most luxury yachts, which are considered large for boat standards, almost always have a crew under 15 people.

Some people classify a ship as a vessel that has a permanent crew whether the ship is in use or not. A boat may only be manned when it’s in use (i.e. traveling on the water instead of docked).

Furthermore, ships often carry passengers to travel long distances from one place to another. While small boats like water taxis may also carry passengers, it’s typically only for a short distance and there aren’t private cabins for each passenger onboard.

Another way to distinguish between a boat and a ship is in the ship’s cargo. Today’s largest container ships can hold nearly 25,000 containers, with the average somewhere around 15,000. A boat could never compete with the cargo capacity of a cargo ship, with each container weighing over 5,000 pounds when empty!

Boats don’t usually carry cargo, unless it’s a small fishing boat carrying the day’s catch.

Where they sail

Ships and boats typically sail in different bodies of water. Ships usually sail in the ocean, traveling far distances to carry cargo or passengers. You won’t find a ship traveling in a small lake or river, but you will find ships traversing the world’s oceans from one continent to another.

Examples of ships include cruise ships, container ships, tankers, offshore vessels, naval ships, and large ferries.

Boats most commonly sail in smaller bodies of water, including ponds, lakes, and rivers. Most boats only travel close to the coast, as they aren’t designed to travel long distances across the open ocean.

Examples of boats include small ferries, water taxis, towing vessels, sailboats, kayaks, and canoes.

What about sailboats and submarines?

It’s common to classify a boat as a vessel that does not travel long distances in the ocean, but what about a sailboat?

Most sailboats are considered to be boats instead of ships. They are significantly smaller than vessels like cargo ships and cruise ships, hold fewer passengers and crew, and are usually used for short-term travel near the coast.

However, there is a difference between a sailboat and a sailing ship. Sailing ships are larger vessels with at least three masts, and with square sails on each mast. These ships were the standard vessels used for ocean travel during the Age of Discovery in the 15th century.

Yet submarines, which should be considered ships, are considered boats. This is due to the history of submarines. Early submarines were carried on ships, so they were classified as boats. As submarines became bigger and bigger over time, the name stuck, and they are still called boats today.

The bottom line

If you’re looking for a concrete definition of a ship versus a boat, you won’t find one. More often than not, it’s easy to distinguish between the two by comparing the size of the vessel, its mechanics, and the body of water the vessel travels through.

As you can see, there are many exceptions, such as with submarines and large sailing ships. If there’s one thing we know for certain, however, it’s that you should never call a cruise ship a boat!